cebiche

SM Cono Sur (Culin) raw fish or shellfish dish

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cebiche

masculine

ceviche

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cebiche, ceviche nm

= raw fish marinated in lemon juice

CEBICHE

Also called ceviche, this is a dish consisting of raw fish marinated in lemon juice, the citric acid acting as the cooking agent instead of heat. It is eaten along the entire west coast of Latin America from Chile to Mexico, but is especially popular in Peru. It can be a snack or a main dish, and there are many local and regional varieties. In Peru people usually eat it with sweet potatoes and corn, whereas in Mexico it is served with diced onion and tomato. Today, less traditional ingredients are also used in its preparation. Tragically, a 1991 epidemic of cholera originating in Peru was associated with cebiche, although the citric acid should destroy bacteria in the fish or shellfish if they are properly prepared.